AMHERST — As former longtime public school employees, Jack Horrigan and Jan Ryan worked with children over the span of their careers and saw firsthand the significance of Christmas to kids.

That’s why every year, the two donate to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, which raises money for eligible families to buy holiday gifts for their children.

“Even something small can make a difference in a child’s life if their family is struggling or they don’t have that much,” said Horrigan. “I think it’s important to try to help out at this time of year… It’s something that you can feel good about doing.”

Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the Toy Fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers worth $50 to qualifying families for each child from age 1 to 14.

Horrigan said he and his wife make a yearly donation in memory of family or friends.

“These are people who meant something in our lives, and I’d like to think that it’s them still doing good even after they’re gone,” he said.

This year, the two donated in honor of their parents: Jack Horrigan, Peg Horrigan, Bob Ryan and Connie Ryan.

Growing up, Horrigan said Christmas was always “a really special day.”

He and his three sisters would wake up as early as they could, sometimes as early as 3 a.m. He remembers one day, after his father had spent the night assembling a gift, he woke up to the sound of the four kids’ footsteps downstairs looking at their presents and said to them, “geez, I just got to bed!”

Then after Christmas Day, his entire family, with around 34 first cousins, would get together for a party at an aunt’s house in the Boston area.

“I have really fond memories of that,” Horrigan said.

To be eligible for the Toy Fund, families must live in any Hampshire County community except Ware, or in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury and Leverett, and in Holyoke in Hampden County.

The following stores are participating this year: A2Z Science and Learning Store, 57 King St., Northampton; Blue Marble/Little Blue, 150 Main St., Level 1, Northampton; High Five Books, 141 N. Main St., Florence; The Toy Box, 201 N. Pleasant St., Amherst; Comics N More, 64 Cottage St., Easthampton; Once Upon A Child,1458 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Plato’s Closet, 1472 Riverdale St., West Springfield; Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, 227 Russell St., Hadley; Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St., Village Commons, South Hadley; The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 W. Bay Road, Amherst; World Eye Bookshop, 134 Main St., Greenfield; Holyoke Sporting Goods Co., and 1584 Dwight St. No. 1, Holyoke.

Maddie Fabian can be reached at mfabian@gazettnet.com.